“You idiot! Don’t do such things while hiding from the person you like! If you want to take a picture, just ask the person directly, fool! What you’re doing is a serious crime, you know!?”
” …… “
Saito continued to berate Kai, forcefully pulling him,
but Kai remained unresponsive.
“Hey, respond! Do you get it!? You were trying to take creepy photos! Taking advantage of Lily not noticing! You were trying to capture it with this camera!”
Frustrated, Saito forcibly brings his face closer, locking eyes, and continues to reprimand once more.
“…I’m sorry.”
After a short pause, Kai finally moved his trembling lips and offered a belated apology.
However, Saito’s anger didn’t subside.
This wasn’t enough.
So, Saito began expressing everything he had been thinking, one by one, to Kai.
“I thought I could trust you, my friend, I thought I could entrust Lily to you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“I tried my best for both of you to get along. To make sure Lily doesn’t feel uncomfortable.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Yet, you guys hardly talk at all. Don’t mess around, seriously.”
“I’m sorry.”
“If you like her, be more proactive.”
“I’m sorry.”
“If you want to take pictures, tell her directly. She might be cold, but she’s kind. She would have forgiven you for various things.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Why, why, why, why, why!? …Why did you do this, Kai?”
After pouring out his feelings, Saito collapsed on the spot, looking up at Kai’s face while crying.
“I’m sorry. Saito.”
It was only then that Saito noticed that Kai was shedding tears.
Uncharacteristically, Kai, who usually had an emotionless expression, was now crying, his face contorted with genuine remorse, apologizing like a child.
Just that made Saito realize that Kai deeply regretted betraying the expectations of his friend.
But it was too late.
It was too late to take action after the fact.
What Kai did was an attempted serious crime.
It is wrong.
He needed to be taken to the appropriate authorities.
He will be judged in the proper place.
That’s normal. It’s obvious.
But, what would happen if you did that to Kai?
Probably, he wouldn’t be able to stay in school anymore.
Even though it was an attempt, a crime was about to be committed.
Surely, he would be treated like a ticking time bomb.
Feeling unwelcome, Kai would probably transfer to another high school.
Saito hate it.
He hate it so much.
Kai certainly made a mistake.
He did something wrong as a human being.
Kai tried to harm his precious childhood friend.
He’s the worst.
But, even so, for Saito, Kai was an important friend.
At first, he seemed blunt and difficult to understand. But, as they interacted, Saito gradually saw the goodness in Kai.
His way of speaking is unique and amusing. Surprisingly, he’s easy-going. Good at studying. Unpredictable. A fool who unknowingly drank soup left untouched for days. Bad at coin games. Good at rhythm games. Skilled at taking photos. Sees things that others can’t. Surprisingly energetic. Cares about his friends.
Saito likes Kai for having so many charms.
Again, they’ll do stupid things together. Again, they’ll get scolded by teachers together.
Saito wants to continue such high school life.
So, Saito, standing next to his childhood friend, tearfully begged for forgiveness.
“Lily, please. This guy is scum who tried to harm you. But still, he’s my precious friend. Can you please forgive him?”
And…
“…Fine. If you’re begging me with that face, I can’t help but forgive.”
Under the moonlight, Saito’s childhood friend smiled helplessly, almost like a goddess.
(Unfair, really.)
Watching his childhood friend cry and break down, Lily thought that.
If he’s asking with such a terrible crying face, there’s no way she could refuse.
Because, if she doesn’t forgive, Saito might resent her.
Does he understand how painful that is for her?
(It’s really bad that he is unaware of it.)
No, it’s about her stupid childhood friend.
He’s probably doing it without realizing it.
Completely selfish.
No plans or calculations.
Just selfishness all the way, always painting a world Lily never thought of.
Because of Saito, Lily was helplessly drawn to him.
(Akashi-kun can make such a face. I didn’t know.)
Today, for the first time, Lily properly saw the face of the crying Kai, who was together with Saito.
“I’m sorry, I’m sorry.”
When their eyes met, he apologized repeatedly, like a broken machine.
Seems like he’s feeling a considerable amount of guilt.
In her first life, Lily didn’t know that a stalker who attacked her could have such a young face and cry like a child.
Back then, it was dark and murky, and Lily couldn’t understand, but surprisingly, his eyes were clear and beautiful.
Despite being an eerie loner without friends, he turned out to be a kind-hearted boy who could shed tears for his friends.
Lily didn’t know.
No, she didn’t want to know.
Because she had decided from the beginning that it was impossible and had rejected any dialogue.
If she had talked, maybe a better ending could have been drawn.
READ THE ORIGINAL TRANSLATION AT GADGETIZEDPANDA.COM
“Akashi-kun, I hate you. I really hate you. Peeping and such is unacceptable for a human being. I think only the worst people do that. But because Saito insisted, I’ll forgive you this time. If you do something similar again, I won’t hesitate to hand you over to the police. Be prepared.”
So, this is her punishment.
A reminder to herself that she was so caught up in the trauma that she didn’t try to find a better way.
Also, because Lily thought that the current Kai would never betray his friends like that again,
without any basis, she forgave him, and he responded with a crumpled smile, saying,
“Well, I don’t want someone like me to be jailed.”
That smile was like a curse lifted, incredibly bright.
The incident seemed to be resolved, and it seemed like everything was settling down. However, Lily’s ordeal was far from over.
“What are you doing! You guys! Shouting so loudly in the middle of the night is so rude!”
“Oh!”
“Oops.”
“…Uh, it’s not my business.”
“There’s no way that’s true. All three of you, sit properly.”
Saito’s angry voice and Kai’s apologies seemed to reach the dormitory, and their furious homeroom teacher, appeared before them.
There was no way to escape from this situation.
Forced to sit properly, the three of vaguely covered that Kai had been taking inappropriate photos. Instead they claimed that Kai and Saito were fighting because they disliked each other, and the teacher, furious at high school students behaving like this, scolded them severely.
Even Lily, who had done nothing wrong except being outside the dormitory, was scolded thoroughly.
“Haa, haa, please don’t do such things anymore. Do you understand?”
“Yeah. I’ll keep it in mind.”
“I won’t do it again.”
“I won’t go out without permission.”
Then the three were released around the time the sky began to lighten.
It was an hour before the students woke up.
Among the three, there was a common understanding that their homeroom teacher, Chiee, was dangerous when angered, and they were determined never to defy her again.
“Hey, wait? Machigane-san.”
“What is it? Akashi-kun.”
Just before returning to the dormitory, Lily, who had been suddenly stopped by Kai, stopped and turned around.
Truth be told, she hated talking with Kai.
But compared to when she first entered school, it had gotten much better, and now she felt she could tolerate a little conversation.
(What does he want?)
Thinking that, she turned her head, and Kai approached with an apologetic expression, speaking in a volume that only Lily could hear.
“…Is it okay if I take a picture when Saito and Machigane-san are together at school? Machigane-san looks sparkling and charming when she’s with someone she likes. I want to capture that if it’s allowed.”
“Huh!?”
Even after what happened earlier, Kai’s request seemed selfish, like that of Saito’s friend.
More than being surprised at how thick-skinned he was, Lily was bewildered as to how he found out.
“W-What are you talking about, Akashi-kun? I don’t like Saito like that. Well, as childhood friends, yes. But, anyway, it’s different, okay!?”
“…You don’t have to deny it so much. It’s obvious that you sparkle like crazy when you’re with Saito. I can see it clearly only when you’re with him.”
Lily desperately tried to brush it off as a misunderstanding, but Kai had reached a level where there was no escaping.
“Ugh… Am I really that easy to understand?”
“Maybe, I just happened to notice because my eyes are a bit special. Normal people probably wouldn’t notice.”
“I see.”
Reluctantly accepting it, Lily asked if it was so obvious on her face.
But she felt relieved when she heard that Kai was special, and normal people probably wouldn’t notice.
If she had accidentally revealed more than she intended while trying to cover up, it would have been too embarrassing.
(Photos of Saito and me…)
With a slightly calmer mind, Lily thought about the disadvantages and advantages of letting Kai take pictures of them.
First, the disadvantages.
She simply didn’t like being photographed by Kai.
She didn’t want others to find out that Kai is taking photos of her, especially Saito.
She didn’t like the idea of someone watching her interactions with Saito all the time.
Next, the advantages.
They would have many photos of Saito and Lily’s memories together. That’s it.
She listed the disadvantages and advantages that came to mind, but there was no clear advantage to accepting Kai’s offer.
However, the foolish maiden in love couldn’t help but think.
(…I want various photos of Saito.)
And so,
When the childish desire to see everything about someone you like, even the parts they don’t know, arose, it was already too late.
The balance within Lily had tilted to the opposite side.
” …You can take pictures as long as it’s only during school hours.”
“Really!? Thank you!”
With Lily’s conditional permission, Kai happily lit up with joy.
Although until recently, he had been desperate to make him stop taking pictures of her, now she found herself approving of him taking photos.
Today, Lily is clearly acting strange.
She’s an idiot. A complete idiot.
Normally, she would never allow such a thing.
She understands that in her mind.
But she doesn’t feel bad about it, probably because she’s been poisoned by her idiot childhood friend to an unbearable extent.
“Saito, you idiot!”
Lily, who didn’t want to admit this fact, hurls insults at Saito.
“What’s up all of a sudden!? Did I do something?”
“Just felt like saying it!”
With a mischievous smile, Lily suddenly insults her childhood friend, leaving him confused, and then rushes back to the dormitory where the girls are.
On the way, she hears a shutter sound, but she no longer finds it unpleasant.
On this day, the fate of Machigane Lily being attacked by Akashi Kai was partially whitewashed by Minazuki Saito.
But if it’s been whitewashed, then it can be rewritten anew.
To fill the born blank space, the world has written the name of another person there, but no one yet knows about this.
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In the Webnovel Lily have talked to Kai herself, while saying some pretty harsh words to him and endded up Just acting as if she didn’t hate his existence in front of Saito. Don’t know if i like this ending more than the WN, but surely a happier ending.